Tracers are a method of assessing the quality and safety of care, treatment, or services by following the experience of a patient or a process through the entire health care delivery system1.

Tracers are used by The Joint Commission and other accreditation bodies to evaluate the compliance of health care organizations with the standards and requirements for accreditation1.

Tracers can help identify the strengths and weaknesses of an organization’s processes and practices, as well as the risks and opportunities for improvement23.

Tracers can also help engage staff and stakeholders in continuous improvement activities and foster a culture of quality and safety24.

Therefore, the main purpose of conducting tracers as a part of continuous readiness is to identify current gaps in processes of quality and patient safety that need correcting, as this will help the organization achieve better outcomes and meet the expectations of accreditation1234. References: 1: Tracer Methodology Fact Sheet | The Joint Commission 2: How tracer rounds can support effective continuous improvement in healthcare 3: Unlocking QTRACER’s secret to ensure continuous improvement in healthcare 4: Continuous Service Readiness | Joint Commission Resources